A fast growing software quality engineering firm has appointed a new Chairman just months after an eight-figure investment. 2i Testing has hired renowned software and IT sector leader David Cotterell to oversee its ambitious growth strategy.

The 300-strong firm, with offices in Edinburgh and London, says the impressive appointment is a key milestone for Rockpool Investments, which provided the capital backing in April this year.

Dave Kelly, CEO of 2i, said: “To attract someone with David’s experience and impressive track record for success demonstrates our ambitions. We are determined to become the ‘go-to’ name in the UK quality engineering sector.

David’s insight and leadership will play a critical role in guiding our plans in this pivotal phase for our business.”

He added: “Bringing in such a major figure so quickly after the investment by Rockpool means we are ideally positioned to become market leaders while continuing to focus on reducing risk, raising quality and seeking to reduce costs for clients.”

David Cotterell brings more than 35 years’ experience in IT software and services and has held multiple C-level roles with global quality engineering (QE) organisations and has been involved in more than a dozen M&A transactions.

David Cotterell said: “The global outsourced quality assurance industry is worth in excess of $40 billion a year and 2i is well positioned to capitalise on this. The recent investment from Rockpool Investments gives us a key advantage.

Having worked for more than a decade with private equity specialists, I’ve seen firsthand the impact such backing can have on a great business model – and 2i is set for a major step up.”

2i Testing specialises in supporting businesses and organisations with the delivery of large, complex digital projects, including major software rollouts and upgrades. It provides testing and quality assurance support to clients including the Home Office, Virgin Money, Abrdn and the Scottish Government’s Social Security Directorate.

David Cotterell added: “The QE and IT sectors are consolidating, with smaller companies joining larger platforms to make a bigger impact.”

2i can handle large, complex clients, which many smaller suppliers cannot deliver on. Our goal now is to grow by winning further strategic clients and delivering top-quality solutions at scale.”

This is a fantastic new opportunity for me; the business has created a solid foundation, and I see huge potential for us to add tangible value.”

An important pillar of the planned growth will be developing 2i as a “pure play” QE provider. This means that the company will continue to focus solely on quality engineering, ensuring the highest level of expertise and service in this area.

Expansion will also be underpinned by an ambitious “buy and build” strategy, drawing on the company’s investment to acquire complementary companies and strengthen 2i Testing’s position in the market.

Harnessing AI will also be essential to the firm’s rapid growth and the near-term strategic plans include introducing innovative AI-powered solutions to its services. These advancements will help clients better manage the risks and costs associated with implementing large-scale technology changes.

2i is a recognised leader in helping organisations in both the private and public sectors safely implement major IT programs and have already experienced rapid organic growth in recent years.